Steve Jens-Rochow

Steve was born a Unitarian. He was raised in the Boston area. He has degrees from Cornell University, University of Michigan and the University of Florida. He was Chair or Co-Chair of Social Justice for the Florida District from 1993 to 2001. He has been Vice President or President of the SE Cluster for three separate periods. He was on the Florida District Board from 1993 to 1995 and served on the District Nominating Committee for 3 years after that. He started the Racial Justice Task Force at the UU Church of Ft. Lauderdale in 1992. He was Chair of Denominational Affairs at the UU Church of Ft. Lauderdale and Chair or Co-Chair of its Social Concerns Committee. He was the founder and Chair of the Green Committee at River of Grass UU Congregation and is currently Co-Chair of the River of Grass Service and Social Justice Committee.

In 1996 he won the Florida District`s Jim Barrett Social Justice Award. This year, 2013, he won it again, sharing it with his Co-Chair Judi Oltmans and the Service and Social Justice Committee of the River of Grass UU Congregation. He was Vice President of the Broward Chapter of the ACLU of Florida in 2004-05. In 2007 and 2008 he was Regional Coordinator for East Florida for the UUSC. In 2002 he was in the Governor`s office at the end of a walk starting at death row in Raiford calling for a time out to the death penalty. Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty delivered 10,000 petitions to the Governor`s desk. Anytime there is an execution in the state he will be out protesting against the Death Penalty.

His greatest feeling of accomplishment is organizing Conferences for the SE Cluster and the District`s Social Justice Committee. His most transformative experiences were attending the first Florida District Leadership School in 1992 and participating in his first UUSC JustWorks work camp rebuilding a burned black church in Boligee, Alabama in 1995.

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Here are regional and statewide social justice events involving UUs in January.

If you have events you would like us to post in coming months, please email them to info@uujusticefl.org.

Also, if you have skills and talents you would like to bring to our statewide effort, including possibly serving on our board, please let us know.

REGIONAL

Heads up to folks in various state legislative districts: Targeted Action Alert e-blasts will be sent starting January 2 with descriptions of bills supported by UUJF, talking points and contact information for your Representatives. UUs who come to Tallahassee Jan. 22 can't press our legislators to pass a bill unless it is advancing through the committee process!

Study Circles engage participants in small groups for discussion and action for improving race relations in the community. They are being held in January and February with full support of the Mayor of Palatka.

January 15 - Martin Luther King Parade

Other UU congregations will be participating in their local MLK Parades on Jan. 15.

Other UU congregations in Miami, Jacksonville, Orlando and St. Petersburg will be participating in the 2nd Annual Women’s March on January 21.

Jacksonville

January 23 - Members of the UU Church of Jacksonville and Buckman Bridge UU Church are participating in an ICARE mini-action to hold the sheriff accountable for increasing the budget for the Jacksonville Re-Entry Center. This center is a national model in serving ex-offenders. It provides wrap-around services to ex-offenders including clothing, I.D.s, food, mental health counseling and other necessary services. Only 1 in 5 of their clients reoffend. The center saved the city 4.5 million dollars last year.

STATEWIDE

Tallahassee - UU Justice Florida Legislative Days January 22-23

A great opportunity for all to impact key legislation

Desmond Meade will be our Keynote Speaker.

Join us! UUJF pays for the dinner and hotel for UUs who come to Tallahassee. Register here.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE - JANUARY 15

Thank you!

In closing, members of the UUJF Board express their thanks and appreciation for each and every one of you who made special efforts this past year to collect petitions for the Voting Restoration Amendment campaign.